Purple-puss
Described as a "funny-looking kid with dark purple lips, like he had died while sucking on a grape jawbreaker", Heimlich is one of Johnnie-O's cronies. He first appears at the end of Chapter 6: Scavengers of Everlost, assisting Johnnie-O in interrogating Nick and Allie for "proper passage" through Johnnie-O's territory. Background Not much is revealed about Heimlich's life before death or even his recruitment into Johnnie-O's gang, but it can be assumed that Heimlich was traversing Rockland County before being accosted by Johnnie-O and whatever boys the bully may have had at the time. Personality Heimlich, like the rest of the Altar Boys, puts up a tough front when he has clear advantage in battle, especially when backed up by Johnnie-o and others. Like the rest of the Altar Boys, he is actually extremely meek and immature, having no direction of his own due to his subordination and loyalty to Johnnie-o. He has a massive distrust for people outside of Johnnie-o's gang, especially Allie due to her tricking the gang during their first encounter. He believes in the "Sky Witch", a.k.a. the "Queen of Snots", and her various myths, such as her being able to suck one's soul through her nose. Appearance Not much is known about his appearance, but Heimlich has obscenely dark purple lips as if he died while or after eating a purple jaw breaker. Everlost Heimlich first appears along with Johnnie-o and several other boys in Rockland County at night, ambushing Nick and Allie. Johnnie-o commands his goons to search the duo for any valuable items, and Heimlich, nicknamed "Purple-puss" due to the duo not knowing his name and his purple lips, finds leftover gum in one of Nick's pockets. He tries to split it with Johnnie-o, but ends up giving his leader all of it after a small dispute. When the Altar Boys can't find anything of value on Allie, they proceed to push her into the ground but are scared off when something comes crashing into the clearing, thinking it is the McGill. Heimlich is seen again when Allie requests for the boys' help against the Haunter, and Heimlich's actual nickname, "Heimlich", is revealed after he reveals his distrust for Allie. It can be assumed that he, like the rest of the Altar Boys, participated in the feast at the Haunter's pickle factory after discovering the meat, a captured Haunter, and that Nick and Lief were missing. Trivia * Heimlich's nickname via Nick and Allie comes from the fact that his lips are obscenely purple. * Heimlich's actual nickname, "Heimlich", comes from the name of the maneuver to dislodge food or other items from a choking victim's wind pipe. It's possible that he acquired this name due to choking to death, but the item he would have choked on to die does not interfere in his ability to speak nor is it visible as a bulge in his throat, although it is possible that the items that cause kids to cross into Everlost do not cross with them. It is also never revealed if he did choke to death and what he choked on. Category:Article stubs Category:Characters Category:The Altar Boys